hello cyberspace...

despite my sadness for being turned down from mit, here is what i have left...

i see foods as the most accessible thing that helps bridges cultures. we all have to eat and eating takes less effords than other things when you find yourself in the middle of different cultures that you don't belong (yet). foods tell you what kind of local animal ppl eat, what kind of veggies ppl grow, what kind of spice, what kind of taste...

western consume lots of meat (i.e. stakes) becoz meats indicate their wealth and social status.

jpn consume lots fo rice, coz their most important class in society is farmer (in the old days).

thais love spicy food coz we want that to help up burn the fat so we can be lean in such a warm climate zone.

i create thsi dish in canada, the mixture of 'apple' that is not typical fruit, and this style salad that can eb found everywhere in thailand.

give it a try, if you please...

Apple and Prawn Thai Salad

at supermarket you need...

1 green granny apple,

8 prawns (peeled),

3-5 tablespoons of ground chicken,

2-3 shallots,

1 lime,

fresh peppermint,

2-3 fresh chilly peppers,

3-4 table spoons of fishsauce,

1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

and salt.

then...in your kitchen you have to...

peel the apple and cut into 8 pieces, leave them in salf water so it won't turn brown.

peel the shallots and slice them nicely,

take the peppermint leaves off from the stems,

rough chop the chilli peppers,

make the lime ready to use.

...

set a small pot of the stove and put 1 1/2 cup of water in.

add a little bit of salt.

when the water starts bubbling a little...add ground chicken to teh put and stir, don't let them stick together...try to seperate them.

when the chicken is almost cooked, in go the prawns.

wait till everything is cooked, turn off the stove and remove 'most' of the soup from the pot.

leave the meat to cool down a bit

in your salad bowl...you start by...

toss cooked chicken and prawns, those 8 pieces of apple, chopped chilli pepper, sliced shallots, fishsauce, sugar, fresh squeezed lime juice together.

taste the salad and see how you like it...the taste is up to you and it's just so easy to adjust.

when you've got the right taste for you, then toss peppermint leaves in, stir a bit and leave some leaves for decoration.

eat...

but please don't use chicken from vietnam, china and...unfortunately thailand.

i was told that they are all infected!

i will try your recepe but instead of green apple i'd rather take papaya...if i could get one here.

your recipe sounds good... i will give it a try and let you know... and i think apple is a nice canadian touch (although green granny smith apples don't come from canada, but mostly from USA and South Africa)

maint, ground pork will do..i don't like pork that's why i suggest chicken.

green papaya won't compliment shrimps evry much, raw mango or carrot are better choices...esp. mango..can be mexican or east indian ones.

ling...i'm hungry!...lol...